Workmanship on wood has flourished in India over the centuries.
Handicrafts made from wood are very popular. Traditional designs are
carved on wood and then sometimes painted over giving the whole object a
rich effect. Items made from wood come from three parts of the tree -
the branches, the trunk and the root.. The properties of various woods
are: Maple : Maple's scientific name is derived from the Latin word for hard. It's color ranges from cream to light reddish brown and the pattern is usually straight-grained and sometimes found with highly figured bird's-eye or burl grain. These are heavy, hard, strong, tough, stiff, close-grained, and possesses a uniform texture. Maple has excellent resistance to abrasion, indentation, and shock.
Uses : Furniture, cabinets, decorative woodwork, flooring, cutting surfaces, musical instruments, bowling pins, utensils, and bowls. Takes stain satisfactorily and polishes well.
Walnut : Walnut, is one of the most fine hardwoods. Walnut mixes well with other woods and natural materials to provide a friendly atmosphere in otherwise austere interiors. The wood develops a rich patina that grows more lustrous with age. Its Color ranges from light gray-brown to dark purplish-brown. The patterns include plain to highly figured. This species produces a greater variety of figure types than any other. Characteristics are moderately heavy, very strong, and exceptionally stable.
Uses : Furniture, cabinets, doors, flooring, architectural woodwork, gunstocks, and novelties. Walnut takes and holds paints and stains exceptionally well, and is readily polished.
Mahogany : These have interlocked or straight grain, often with a ribbon figure, and a moderately coarse texture. Creamy-white sapwood and reddish brown heartwood, often with a purple cast. Physical properties include moderately heavy and hard with medium bending and crushing strength, low stiffness and shock resistance, moderate decay resistance, and good stability in use. Works fairly easily although interlocked, woolly grain can be troublesome. Glues, nails, and screws satisfactorily. Stains and polishes to an excellent finish.
Uses : Used for furniture, cabinetry, high class joinery, interior trim, boat building, vehicle bodies, paneling, plywood, and decorative veneers.
Ebony : A type of hardwood, other names include camagon and golden ebony Appearance Straight to irregular grain with a fine, even texture and metallic luster. Heartwood color varies from medium brown to jet black to gray depending on species. Light gray sapwood. Very heavy, hard, strong, and stiff with high shock and decay resistance. Steam-bends reasonably well but wood is brittle. Works with difficulty due to hardness. - heartwood has severe blunting effect on cutting edges. Requires pre-drilling to nail or screw. Glues satisfactorily and takes an excellent finish.
Uses : Used for luxury furniture, carving, and various turned items including knife and tool handles, billiard cues, and brush backs. Also used for combs, piano keys and other musical instrument parts, inlay, and decorative veneer.
Rosewood : Also known as East Indian rosewood, Bombay rosewood, bombay blackwood, shisham, sitsal, malabar, sissoo, biti, ervadi, and kalaruk. Grows in southern India. Commonly interlocked grain with a uniform, moderately coarse texture. Purple-brown heartwood with attractive dark streaks and yellowish white sapwood, often with a purple tinge. Heavy, hard, and dense with high bending and crushing strengths, medium shock resistance, good stability and steam bending, and very durable heartwood. Holds screws and nails well and glues satisfactorily. Finishes nicely although filling recommended.
Uses : Primarily used for decorative and ornamental purposes including furniture, cabinetry, paneling, and turnery. Also used for musical and mathematical instruments, brush backs, inlay, sculpture, boat construction, hammer heads, and decorative flooring.
Teak : Also known as Burma teak, Rangoon teak, moulmein teak, gia thi, jati sak, kyun, mai sak, rosawa, and many other local names. Generally straight grained with a coarse, uneven texture, medium luster and an oily feel. Yellow brown to dark golden brown heartwood and grayish or white sapwood. Moderately hard and heavy, with low stiffness and shock resistance, moderate bending strength, moderate steam bending, and excellent decay resistance and dimensional stability. Stains and finishes well although natural oils can cause adhesion difficulties.
Uses : Has numerous uses including ship building (especially decks), indoor or outdoor furniture, high class joinery, flooring, paneling, plywood, decorative veneers, turnery, carving, chemical tanks and vats.
Willow : Other names includes black willow, white willow, crack willow, cricket-bat willow, and close-bark willow. Typically straight grained, sometimes interlocked with a fine, uniform texture. Pale reddish brown to grayish brown heartwood and whitish sapwood. Light, soft, and weak, with low shock resistance, decay resistance, and steam bending properties. Glues, screw, nails, and finishes satisfactorily.
Uses : Used for millwork, packing cases and boxes, artificial limbs, caskets, polo balls, cricket bats, Venetian blinds, slack cooperage, veneer, and inexpensive furniture.
